Exact age that pensioners get £100 extra winter fuel payment explained
THE Winter Fuel Payment is paid at two rates with older people receiving £100 more than those closer to the state pension age.
The benefit is paid to help those over the state pension age of 66 with their energy bills over the winter months.
It is worth up to £300 and was previously paid universally to all pensioners.
But from this year it will be means tested and only those on certain benefits will be eligible to receive funds.
Those on Pension Credit, Income Support, Tax Credits and Universal Credit remain eligible for the payment, but 10million are set to miss out.
The amount people receive through the payment depends on when they were born.
It is worth £200 for eligible households where all residents were born between 23 September 1944 and 22 September 1958, or £300 for eligible households where someone is aged over 80.
To qualify for this year’s benefit, you must be 66 or over and have had an active claim for one of the qualifying benefits during what’s known as the “qualifying week” – this year, from September 16 to 22.
However, Pension Credit claims can be backdated by three months, so those who think they may be eligible for the benefit still have time to make a claim.
As long as claims are made by December 21, they will be able to access this year’s winter fuel allowance.
The changes to the winter fuel allowance have prompted faced a backlash from charities and campaigners since it was first announced.
Its impact was revealed when thousands of Sun readers flooded The Sun’s Winter Fuel SOS helpline earlier this month, looking for help to hang on to the payment.
The Sun has since launched a free tool to help you check whether you will get the winter fuel payment this year.
Even if you’re not eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment you may still be able to get £150 off your energy costs through the Warm Home Discount scheme.
There are two Warm Home Discount schemes – one for England and Wales, and one for Scotland.
Those living in England and Wales do not need to apply for the scheme, but those living in Scotland do.
Between now and December, the government will issue letters to households that qualify for the scheme.
However, to be eligible for the discount households must have had an active claim for any of the following benefits on Sunday, August 11:
- Guaranteed credit element of pension credit
- Income support
- Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
- Income-related employment and support allowance
- Housing benefit
- Universal Credit
- Child tax credit
- Working tax credits
- The “Savings Credit” part of pension credit
There may also be help available through the Household Support Fund, which is administered through local authorities.
The fund is worth £421million and aims to help with gas, electricity, and food during the winter months.
To find out what support you could access contact your local council.
What is the Winter Fuel Payment?
Consumer reporter Sam Walker explains all you need to know about the payment.
The Winter Fuel Payment is an annual tax-free benefit designed to help cover the cost of heating through the colder months.
Most who are eligible receive the payment automatically.
Those who qualify are usually told via a letter sent in October or November each year.
If you do meet the criteria but don’t automatically get the Winter Fuel Payment, you will have to apply on the government’s website.
You’ll qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment this winter if:
- you were born on or before September 23, 1958
- you lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of September 16 to 22, 2024, known as the “qualifying week”
- you receive Pension Credit, Universal Credit, ESA, JSA, Income Support, Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit
If you did not live in the UK during the qualifying week, you might still get the payment if both the following apply:
- you live in Switzerland or a EEA country
- you have a “genuine and sufficient” link with the UK social security system, such as having lived or worked in the UK and having a family in the UK
But there are exclusions – you can’t get the payment if you live in Cyprus, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Malta, Portugal or Spain.
This is because the average winter temperature is higher than the warmest region of the UK.
You will also not qualify if you:
- are in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year
- need permission to enter the UK and your granted leave states that you can not claim public funds
- were in prison for the whole “qualifying week”
- lived in a care home for the whole time between 26 June to 24 September 2023, and got Pension Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Payments are usually made between November and December, with some made up until the end of January the following year.
CHECK IF YOU QUALIFY FOR PENSION CREDIT
Pension credit tops up your weekly income to £218.15 if you are single or to £332.95 if you have a partner and can give you access to the winter fuel allowance.
This is known as “guarantee credit”.
If your income is lower than this, you’re very likely to be eligible for the benefit.
However, if your income is slightly higher, you might still be eligible for pension credit if you have a disability, you care for someone, you have savings or you have housing costs.
You could get an extra £81.50 a week if you have a disability or claim any of the following:
- Attendance allowance
- The middle or highest rate from the care component of disability living allowance (DLA)
- The daily living component of personal independence payment (PIP)
- Armed forces independence payment
- The daily living component of adult disability payment (ADP) at the standard or enhanced rate.
You could get the “savings credit” part of pension credit if both of the following apply:
- You reached State Pension age before April 6, 2016
- You saved some money for retirement, for example, a personal or workplace pension
This part of pension credit is worth £17.01 for single people or £19.04 for couples.
Pension credit opens the door to other support, including housing benefits, cost of living payments, council tax reductions and the winter fuel payment.
Claims for pension credit also open doors to a number of freebies and discounts.
For example, pension credit claimants over 75 qualify for a free TV licence worth up to £169.50 a year.
4 ways to keep your energy bills low
Laura Court-Jones, Small Business Editor at Bionic shared her tips.
1. Turn your heating down by one degree
You probably won’t even notice this tiny temperature difference, but what you will notice is a saving on your energy bills as a result. Just taking your thermostat down a notch is a quick way to start saving fast. This one small action only takes seconds to carry out and could potentially slash your heating bills by £171.70.
2. Switch appliances and lights off
It sounds simple, but fully turning off appliances and lights that are not in use can reduce your energy bills, especially in winter. Turning off lights and appliances when they are not in use, can save you up to £20 a year on your energy bills
3. Install a smart meter
Smart meters are a great way to keep control over your energy use, largely because they allow you to see where and when your gas and electricity is being used.
4. Consider switching energy supplier
No matter how happy you are with your current energy supplier, they may not be providing you with the best deals, especially if you’ve let a fixed-rate contract expire without arranging a new one. If you haven’t browsed any alternative tariffs lately, then you may not be aware that there are better options out there.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
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